PDA

View Full Version : Move silently with 5 foot step?



ken-do-nim
2007-01-08, 11:23 AM
In Saturday night's game, the invisible NPC ninja full attacked a party member, then took a 5 foot step back so that the party would have to guess what square he was in. Naturally all the party members started making listen checks to try to figure this out. My question to you all is how was I supposed to come up with the dc for that listen check? Can you do a move silent on a 5' step?

Thomas
2007-01-08, 11:30 AM
You... just... roll Move Silently for the ninja?

It may be impossible by the RAW, or it may not be addressed, but who cares about that? It should obviously be possible.

And now playing Devil's Advocate to myself: Or it shouldn't be possible, because sneaking requires you to move slowly and cautiously, so you can't do it with your 5-foot adjustment.

Take your pick.

ken-do-nim
2007-01-08, 12:18 PM
Let me be more clear. Here's the chart from the DMG on listen checks against invisible creatures:

Listen (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/skills/listen.htm) Check DCs to Detect Invisible Creatures
Invisible Creature Is… DC
In combat or speaking: 0
Moving at half speed: Move Silently (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/skills/moveSilently.htm) check result
Moving at full speed: Move Silently (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/skills/moveSilently.htm) check result -4
Running or charging: Move Silently (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/skills/moveSilently.htm) check result -20
Some distance away: +1 per 10 feet
Behind an obstacle (door): +5
Behind an obstacle (stone wall): +15

Would taking a 5 foot step after full attacking count as "in combat", "moving at half speed", or "moving at full speed"?

Pegasos989
2007-01-08, 12:26 PM
I would need to check to be 100% sure but I think that nothing prevents move silently with 5 feet step by raw. Except if your speed is 10 feet or less, because move silently halves the speed and if you have less than 5 feet of speed, you can't take a 5 footer...


EDIT: Oh... Well, I would personally count as half speed as a compromise between combat and full speed...

Thomas
2007-01-08, 12:31 PM
He's moving, and not moving more than half speed. Hence, "moving at half speed." It'd be illogical to use the DC of the combat action to detect where he moved from the square where he made the attack. (Besides, that's a gross oversimplification. How easy is it to detect by sound someone who soundlessly thrusts a dagger into an unaware victim?)

ken-do-nim
2007-01-08, 01:41 PM
He's moving, and not moving more than half speed. Hence, "moving at half speed." It'd be illogical to use the DC of the combat action to detect where he moved from the square where he made the attack. (Besides, that's a gross oversimplification. How easy is it to detect by sound someone who soundlessly thrusts a dagger into an unaware victim?)

I agree. I think the dcs are written such that the more you move, the more chance you have of being overheard. It really should be hard to hear someone take one step. Next time I'll just make a normal move silent roll.

Marius
2007-01-08, 02:01 PM
Actually since you can only make one free 5 ft step I would say that you'll have to make it at your full speed. So you could use move silently but with a -4 penalty to the check.